The University of Ilorin has announced that a total of 12,042 students will be graduating during its 39th convocation ceremony, with 256 of them earning First Class degrees.
This was disclosed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, at a press briefing held on Thursday at the university auditorium to mark the commencement of the convocation ceremony.
Prof. Egbewole highlighted that the convocation would be a significant achievement for the university, with graduates from various faculties, including Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine, receiving their degrees.
“The 39th Convocation Ceremonies will see the graduation of 12,042 students across various faculties, including 256 First Class graduates. This reflects the hard work and dedication of both students and staff,” he stated.
The Vice Chancellor also revealed that 1,875 higher degrees would be awarded, including 323 Ph.Ds, 1,280 Masters, and 92 Postgraduate Diplomas, praising the university for maintaining academic excellence while embracing innovation.
Highlighting the strides made in digital transformation, Prof. Egbewole noted several innovations aimed at improving service delivery and academic processes.
“The University of Ilorin has made remarkable progress in its digital transformation journey, enhancing efficiency, security, and accessibility in our operations,” he said.
“One of the key achievements is the migration to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform, which has improved data security and reduced downtimes. The university has also deployed a scalable Enterprise Resource Portal (ERP) to streamline communication between students, staff, and administrators. Other innovations include a digital admissions ranking system, automated student union elections, and a remote clearance process for final-year students, allowing them to complete it from anywhere in the world.”
Prof. Egbewole further emphasized the university’s accomplishments in research, citing the revival of the ₦200 million Senate Research Grant (SRG) in 2023 and 2024. He noted that the institution boasts 20 patents and innovations, and its Laboratory-to-Product (LABTOP) Centre was recently recognized at the Inaugural Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPPTO) awards in Nigeria.
The Vice Chancellor also discussed ongoing international collaborations in veterinary research, plant breeding, and stem cell research.
In the agricultural sector, the university is partnering with Broad Grains Limited for mechanized farming training and is involved in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Oriental Energy Farms to cultivate 4,000 hectares of land for maize and soybean production.
As the convocation draws near, Prof. Egbewole reassured stakeholders of the university’s commitment to innovation and excellence.
“Our goal to become the top university in Nigeria is on track. We are taking deliberate steps to position ourselves for global rankings,” he said.
